Berk's future
by Jacqueline4602
Summary: I, Jacqueline, call all of Berk to watch the future. Yes, it is another 'httyd watches the movie'. I have done my best to incorporate new reactions. Enjoy! (P.S. Mild Hiccstrid only because it's a canon pairing)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 **A/N: Hi, wonderful people who decided to read my story! For those of you who have read my other story, "The Return of the Guardians: They. Will. Rise.", don't worry about a thing, I promised I would finish it and I will. However, ideas for this would simply not stop pestering me, so while I was writing this, hey, why not post it? Watching-the-movie is one of my favorite types of fics. So I present to you the product of my crazy brain ;)**

So-called "real world" ;)

 _Thoughts_

 **The movie**

 _ **Scene changes and action in the movie**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own HtTYD, never have, never will. :( Dreamworks does.**

* * *

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry! Now get me off of this thing!" Toothless looked at her, and apparently deciding she was sincere, leveled out. Astrid, expecting the worst, was surprised when she felt that the dragon beneath her wasn't falling like an arrow from the sky anymore; rather, he was pulling up.

She finally opened her eyes, and the scene that met her took her breath away. A strange whiteness surrounded her, just like she'd imagined Valhalla would be when she arrived there.

She reached out and touched it; much like when one is standing on something tall and reaching for the ceiling, she made sure her hand was firmly on Hiccup's shoulder before she reached out. It was much softer than sheep's wool, and that was saying something. There weren't many things on Berk that could be called "soft"; they were Vikings who didn't care much about things like that.

Hiccup and Toothless soared through the clouds, showing her a whole new world. As evening turned to night, she saw a dazzling display right above them; the overflow of colors from Valhalla, it was said, and she had never seen it this close.

As they dipped below the clouds, she saw Berk as if from the eyes of a dragon, and she smiled. _This is my home; the village where we kill dragons, and the village where one boy, the weakest, has bonded with a dragon and_ — _and stolen my heart too. But how do I show him that?_

She almost laughed at herself for being a simpleton. Then, she confidently snaked her arms around his waist and put her chin on his shoulder. She felt him stiffen at first, but then, he relaxed again and they continued soaring; if Astrid could have seen his face, she was sure he would have been smiling.

When they had flown past Berk, a rainbow of swirling colors suddenly appeared before them. Astrid tightened her grip around Hiccup's waist. This was certainly _not_ the usual lights of Valhalla; they had seen that a few minutes ago. This was concentrated in one place, almost like a portal to another world.

"Hiccup, what's that?"

"That's a very good question. Toothless, hold back. You never know what could happen." His arms tightened against his sides, holding her behind him. Astrid smiled at his protectiveness, even though it wasn't needed. She was the Shield Maiden, after all; she could protect herself.

Toothless pulled back, beating his wings to keep them aloft while they peered at the rainbow.

Astrid decided to voice her thoughts. "Hiccup, do you—do you think that could be an entrance to another world?" He replied, "I don't know. Could it be a hidden dragon world? Let's take a closer look."

As they drifted closer, she started panicking, though she would never admit it. "Are you crazy? That—thing, could be the end of us. Are you _asking_ the gods to kill you?!" He didn't get a chance to respond; instead, he said, "Toothless, what are you doing, not that close!" Toothless kept flapping his wings, trying to keep them back, but he was being pulled towards it; with a cry, they were all sucked in, separating Toothless from his riders by magic.

* * *

On Berk, a similar vortex of color engulfed the island; when it lifted, every single Viking was gone, along with the four dragons imprisoned in the Training Ring. The other animals were left behind.

* * *

The residents of Berk (as well as the involuntary residents) landed in a dark room with a spacious floor, grumbling about being tossed around like a sack of potatoes. Stoick was the first to recover, jumping to his feet and grabbing for his hammer...which had mysteriously vanished. He shouted out instead, "WHAT HAPPENED, IS EVERYONE ALRIGHT, AND WHO HAS BROUGHT US HERE?!"

"I didn't think you'd react that...well, _exuberantly_. Of course, what do I expect from Stoick the Vast?"

Stoick and the rest of the village (well, after they untangled themselves and struggled to their feet) turned to see a girl step out from the shadows.

Barefoot, she was dressed in a hoodie that was a rich blue with something on her shoulders that was sparkling in the light; a closer glance revealed that it was frost. She wore deep blue leggings which came to her calves, and a snowflake was holding part of her waist-length silvery white hair out of her face. In her left hand, she held a shimmering rod of ice that was intricately carved with frost patterns and the letters "JIF".

Stoick thought, _A mere girl has brought us here? She must be a goddess to have such power. But if so, then why do we not recognize her? Why have there been no legends about this goddess of ice?_ He made to bow on one knee.

When she saw the look on Stoick's face, she laughed and said, "No, I am not a goddess, and I never will be. However, I do have the power to bring you here, as you have seen, as well as a few other things I will not mention now. I have brought you here to watch a movie, which is a moving picture with sound, and the movie is about the war between Vikings and dragons and its end. The movie shall be shown right inside this room, on the wall." She pointed her staff and a set of double doors appeared.

She said, "By the way, I am Jacqueline Frostine. Now that that's out of the way, there are a few things you all need to know. First, there will be dragons inside. I have taken your weapons for a reason. _You are not to attack them._ Also, you are not to verbally attack anyone."

She continued, "If you disregard these rules...let's just say that I have not told you the extent of my power for good reason; I wish you to feel free to act normally, not to cower in fear of me." Her voice gained a lighter tone. "Now, on to the movie!" She added that there would be breaks every now and then from watching.

They all filed into the room, which had seats all facing one wall. The dragons were already there, on the opposite side of the room. Jacqueline said, "Your names are written on your seats. I will be watching you." With that, she clutched her staff, jumped into the air, and with a gust of wind, she vanished, leaving the Vikings and dragons behind.

They found their spots. Hiccup on the end, next to Astrid and the other teens, was closest to the dragons and Toothless, though Jacqueline had taken them both aside and told them that they would have to wait a while before they could sit together. That done, they settled down to watch.

* * *

 _ **The screen lights up to show a stormy ocean and an island village.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): This, is Berk. It's twelve days North of hopeless, and a few degrees South of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the meridian of misery.**

Gobber scowls. "It's not tha' bad!" While Hiccup and the other teens were wondering, _Why is Hiccup/ Why am I narrating this?_

 _ **He continues as we begin to see more of Berk.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): My village. In a word, sturdy. And it's been here for seven generations, but every single building is new.**

Some of the Vikings huffed. A few "I wonder why"s were heard.

 **HICCUP (V.O.): We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets. The only problems are the pests. You see, most places have mice or mosquitos. We have...**

 _ **Sheep graze peacefully on a hillside. Suddenly one is snatched. A door is pulled open...as a dragon swoops directly toward it, blasting fire. The door is slammed shut as fire shoots through the slats of wood, illuminating Hiccup.**_

Some of the villagers leaned forward, ignoring Hiccup onscreen; more focused on the rest of the house. Not many had seen the inside of the chief's house, and those who had, had been too frightened out of their wits to notice anything. Thus the curiosity.

 **HICCUP: ...dragons.**

 _ **He reopens the sizzling door, and leaps off of the front porch. He weaves through the erupting mayhem as Vikings pour out of the buildings, ready for a fight. More dragons swarm in, setting rooftops alight and hauling off sheep.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): Most people would leave. Not us. We're Vikings. We have stubbornness issues.**

A Viking called out, "I do NOT have stubbornness issues!"

Hiccup said matter-of-factly, "Point proven." Astrid almost doubled over in silent laughter.

 _ **Vikings sound the alarm. Viking men and women pour out into the streets, axes in hand. Hiccup darts through alleys, staying under eaves, making his way through the battle.**_

Fishlegs said, "I guess being small does have its benefits." To which some agreed.

 **HICCUP (V.O.): My name's Hiccup. Great name, I know. But it's not the worst. Parents believe a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls. Like our charming Viking demeanor wouldn't do that.**

It was a tradition in Berk that for every month in a year, there were specific letters to choose from for the first letter of the name of the child that would be born that month. Stoick thought to himself, _Val just had to choose Hiccup._

 _ **Dragons sweep back and forth, dodging axes and blasting the Vikings who throw them. A burly warrior gets tossed in an explosion, knocking Hiccup to the ground.**_

 **VIKING: Arggghhhhh! (cheery, insane) Mornin'!**

Hiccup said loudly, "Almost gave me a heart attack, thanks."

 _ **Hiccup gets to his feet and continues to rush past gigantic men and women.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): Meet the neighbors. Hoark the Haggard...**

 **HOARK: What are you doing out!?**

 **HICCUP: ... Burnthair the Broad...**

 **BURNTHAIR: Get inside!**

 **HICCUP: ... Phlegma the Fierce...**

 **PHLEGMA THE FIERCE: Get back inside!**

Hiccup said, "Sure; go inside when the house is on fire. Great idea."

The other Vikings were wondering if they really sounded that harsh. Astrid frowned.

 **HICCUP: Ack.**

 _ **He passes a silent ox of a viking, picking his ear.**_

 **HICCUP: Yep, just Ack.**

 _ **Enter Stoick, the biggest Viking of all. He pulls Hiccup from the path of a strafing dragon and holds aloft to the crowd.**_

 **STOICK: Hiccup!? What is he doing out aga-what are you doing out?! Get inside!**

 _ **The flames light up his scowling face and matted red beard. He sets Hiccup down and turns to the sky, searching.**_

"Thanks, Dad."

 **HICCUP (V.O.): That's Stoick the Vast. Chief of the tribe. They say that when he was a baby he popped a dragon's head clean off of its shoulders. Do I believe it?**

 _ **Stoick grabs a wooden cart and hurls it, knocking the dragon out of the sky.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): Yes I do.**

 _ **An explosion forces Vikings to duck. Stoick stands firm, brushing an ember off of his shoulder.**_

 **STOICK: What have we got?**

 **VIKING #1: Gronckles. Nadders. Zipplebacks. Oh, and Hoark saw a Monstrous Nightmare.**

 **STOICK: Any Night Furies?**

 **VIKING #1: None so far.**

 **STOICK: Good.**

Toothless almost purred. He was the best!

 **VIKING: Hoist the torches!**

 _ **Massive flaming braziers are raised on poles, lighting up the night sky and revealing swarming dragons of all types. Below, Hiccup crosses an open plaza and ducks into an open building with a tall chimney. He crosses behind a counter, where a peg-legged, one-armed hulk of a Blacksmith reshapes blades with a hammer and tongs appendage.**_

 **GOBBER: Ah! Nice of you to join the party. I thought you'd been carried off.**

"You wish."

"What's tha', Hiccup?"

"Oh, ah, I was just saying that, uh, I like your hammer and tongs. Nice invention."

Gobber looks at him. "You invented it."

Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck. "I did? Oh, uh, yeah, I did, didn't I?" Gobber didn't reply, and Hiccup sighed in relief.

 _ **Hiccup dons a leather apron and starts to put away Gobber's scattered prosthetics.**_

 **HICCUP: Who me? Nah, come on! I'm way too muscular for their taste. They wouldn't know what to do with all this.**

 _ **Hiccup strikes a bodybuilder pose.**_

Everyone chuckled.

 **GOBBER: They need toothpicks, don't they?**

"Did you just call me toothpick, meathead?"

"Oi! Who are you callin' meathead?"

"The same one who called me toothpick." Gobber glared at him playfully.

 _ **Hiccup gets to work, transferring bent and chipped weapons to the forge as Vikings crowd the counter for replacements.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): The meathead with attitude and interchangeable hands is Gobber. I've been his apprentice ever since I was little. Well...littler.**

 _ **Around on the other side of the village, Stoick is shouting orders.**_

 **STOICK: We move to the lower defenses. We'll counter- attack with the catapults.**

 _ **Armed Vikings rush past, flanking others who carry sheep to safety. Stoick follows up the rear as, overhead, a dragon strafes the rooftops with Napalm-like fire.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): See? Old village. Lots and lots of new houses.**

Everyone chuckled at Hiccup's ability to make light of the situation.

 **VIKING: FIRE!**

 _ **In response, the fire brigade charges through the square-five teens, tugging a large wooden cask on wheels. From it, they fill buckets of water to douse the flames. One among them is a cute, energetic Viking girl. Hiccup leans out of the stall to watch her.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): Oh and that's Fishlegs, Snotlout. The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut. And...Astrid.**

Said two Vikings blushed furiously while Snotlout pouted.

 _ **An explosion erupts behind her, framing her in a ball of fire. The others join her, looking awesome and heroic.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): Their job is so much cooler.**

 _ **Hiccup tries to join them as they pass, but he's hooked by Gobber and hoisted back inside.**_

Snotlout and the twins snickered. Hiccup sighed. "Seriously, what do you guys have against me and my shirt? Did it prank you or something?"

 **HICCUP: Ah, come on. Let me out, please. I need to make my mark.**

 **GOBBER: Oh, you've made plenty of marks. All in the wrong places.**

Some winced, remembering the consequences of some of those "marks".

 **HICCUP: Please, two minutes. I'll kill a dragon. My life will get infinitely better. I might even get a date.**

Astrid said to him, blushing, "You got one without even doing that."He smiled and squeezed her hand.

 **GOBBER: You can't lift a hammer. You can't swing an axe; you can't even throw one of these.**

 _ **Demonstrating, Gobber grabs a bola. A Viking runs by and nabs it out of Gobber's hand, hurling it at a Gronckle. The bola binds its legs, sending it into a heavy crash.**_

 **HICCUP: (ready with the answer): Okay fine, but...this will throw it for me.**

 _ **He rushes to the back corner of the stall and presents a contraption that resembles a covered wheelbarrow.**_ _ **He opens the hinged lid. An arm springs up, armed with twin bows. It prematurely launches a bola, narrowly missing Gobber...and taking out a Viking at the counter.**_

 **VIKING: Arggh!**

Said Viking, whose name was Ballok, called to Hiccup, "Oi! That hurt!"

"Sorry! Like I said, mild calibration issue."

 **GOBBER: See, now this right here is what I'm talking about.**

 **HICCUP: Mild calibration issue.**

"Or maybe not so mild."

"Hey! It worked on the hill!"

 **GOBBER: Hiccup. If you ever want to get out there to fight dragons, you need to stop all...this.**

 _ **Gobber gestures in Hiccup's general direction.**_

Hiccup looked confused and mildly irritated. "What do you mean, 'all this'?"

Snotlout snickered loudly. "Do I need to make a list? Oh, let's see, 'Hiccup is annoying, Hiccup is weak, Hiccup is useless, Hiccup is—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Snotlout."

The whole village turned to watch as Jacqueline appeared out of nowhere, her lip curling up in disgust. "Or that list. You don't even want to know what I'll do to you if you keep this up."

Snotlout, even though he felt a touch of fear, leaned back and smiled at her. "What if I do? You can't harm the great Snotlo—"

"I have your weapons, you know. _And_ I know how to use them."

"Like what, a puny little toy?"

She concentrated on her hand until a glow appeared, and she lifted her hand. Every Berkian gasped when they saw their weapons appear, hovering in the air. The glow remained in Jacqueline's hand, and she shifted, the weapons following her movements, all pointing straight at Snotlout.

He was speechless, not being able to hide his fear. "You—uh—."

She smirked. "Your own weapons used against you, huh? Consider this your warning."

The twins, who had been at a loss for words, spoke up. Tuffnut yelled, "WOMD! I have to have it, I have to have it!"

Ruffnut said, "Yeah, can I have it? Oh, by the way, my annoying twin means Weapons Of Mass Destruction."

Jacqueline laughed. "As much as I'd like to use or see this used on Drago, Johann, or the rest of the dragon trappers, the gods, as well as the rest of Berk, would kill me if I did, so no." The twins huffed and started sulking in their seats.

Stoick was about to say something about Drago, but Jacqueline said, "Okay, enough distractions, back to the movie." Everyone settled down, and Jacqueline disappeared again.

Hiccup thought, _Wow, that's the first time I can remember that someone stood up for me. She didn't have to though...I should probably tell her that during the next break._

 **HICCUP: But... you just pointed to all of me.**

 **GOBBER: Yes! That's it! Stop being all of you.**

 **HICCUP (THREATENING): Ohhhh...**

 **GOBBER (MIMICKING): Ohhhhh, yes.**

 **HICCUP: You, sir, are playing a dangerous game. Keeping this much, raw...Vikingness contained. There will be consequences!**

 **GOBBER: I'll take my chances. Sword. Sharpen. Now.**

 _ **Gobber tosses him a sword. Hiccup takes it begrudgingly and heaves it onto the grinding wheel. His eyes narrow as he thinks.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): One day I'll get out there. Because killing a dragon is everything around here.**

Hiccup sighed. _I wish it wasn't._

 _ **Outside, Nadders land, gathering like seagulls around a seemingly vacant house.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): A Nadder head is sure to get me at least noticed.**

Yet-unnamed Stormfly squawked indignantly. Only "at least noticed"?!

 _ **The Nadders clamber onto the building, tearing the roof and walls apart. Sheep pour out and SCATTER. Elsewhere, hippo-like Gronckles pick drying racks clean of fish and fly off like loaded pelicans.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): Gronckles are tough. Taking down one of those would definitely get me a girlfriend.**

 _ **A stealthy, snake-like dragon head peeks over a rooftop, breathing gas into a chimney.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): A Zippleback? Exotic, exciting. Two heads, twice the status.**

Soon-to-be Barf and Belch bobbed their heads, looking important.

 _ **A second head pokes through the door and lights it. The two heads fly through the explosion, their necks zipping together to reveal a single body. It flies past Stoick as he climbs to the top of a catapult tower.**_

 **CATAPULT OPERATOR: They found the sheep!**

 **STOICK (FRUSTRATED): Concentrate fire over the lower bank!**

 **CATAPULT OPERATOR: Fire!**

 _ **Boulders are catapulted at the sheep-herding Nadders...just as a huge red dragon whips past, spraying the base of the catapult with sticky fire.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): And then there's the Monstrous Nightmare. Only the best Vikings go after those. They have this nasty habit of setting themselves on fire.**

 _ **It emerges from the flames and climbs the catapult, grinning leeringly.**_

 **STOICK: Reload! I'll take care of this.**

" 'Take care of it'? Thats how you think about it; something just to be dealt with like—" Hiccup caught himself and stopped.

Stoick, growing curious, decided to brush aside the fact that Hiccup had partially disrespected him, asked, "Like what, son?"

Hiccup sighed and mumbled, "Like me." Toothless crooned from the other side; magical barrier or no, he could feel Hiccup's emotions seeping through and wondered how Stoick hadn't picked up on it by now, not realizing that humans couldn't sense that like dragons. _He must be very stupid not to know that Hiccup is wary and extremely intimidated. What is wrong with him?_

Stoick, on the other hand, was feeling guilty that Hiccup thought that of him. He was about to say something, when Hiccup said, "It doesn't really matter; let's just watch."

Stoick reluctantly turned away for the moment, fully intending to continue this later.

 _ **Stoick takes on the Nightmare, face to hammer.**_

Hiccup and Astrid winced at every blow.

 _ **Suddenly, a loud ballistic moaning sounds from overhead. The catapult crew ducks. At the smithy, Hiccup looks up from his work, reacting to the same sound.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): But the ultimate prize is the dragon no one has ever seen. We call it the—**

 **VIKING: Night Fury! Get down!**

Hiccup smiled at the reference to his best friend, and Astrid did the same. Stoick figured that was one of the mysteries that would be revealed later, but it made him suspicious.

 _ **Vikings everywhere take shelter. The moaning sound builds. At the catapult, the Nightmare suddenly stops fighting and takes flight. Stoick looks up, then hollers.**_

 **STOICK: JUMP!**

 **HICCUP (V.O.): This thing never steals food, never shows itself, and...**

 _ **The catapult suddenly explodes, sending Stoick and the crew leaping for their lives. The sound recedes, leaving the crippled catapult in flames.**_

 **HICCUP (V.O.): ...never misses. No one has ever killed a Night Fury. That's why I'm going to be the first.**

Astrid whispered to Hiccup, "Or the first to befriend and ride one," making him smile weakly.

"It's just, I was the one who took his flight away. What kind of friend does that?"

"Hiccup, you didn't know him then."

"Yeah, but it doesn't bring his tailfin back with excuses."

"Or regrets." Toothless, sensing his distress, crooned from the other side. Hiccup noticed.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks, Astrid." She squeezed his hand in response.

 _ **In the smithy, Gobber switches out his hammer for an axe.**_

 **GOBBER: Man the fort, Hiccup, they need me out there!**

 _ **Gobber pauses and turns with a threatening glare.**_

 **GOBBER: Stay. Put. There. You know what I mean.**

 _ **Gobber then gives a war cry and charges into the fray. Meanwhile, a smirk crosses Hiccup's face.**_

"Gobber, did you really think that was going to make him stay? He didn't before!" Stoick glared at Hiccup and Gobber.

Hiccup said, "Well, technically I did go inside when you asked me to; just to a different place."

Astrid shrugged. "Can't argue with that."

They all settled down to watch the next scene unfold.

* * *

 **A/N: Did anyone catch the reference to HtTYD 3?**

 **Anyway, there is the first chapter! This one will most likely be the longest, given that it includes the introduction as well as some of the movie itself. Love it? Hate it? Let me know, review! (But preferably not hate; that's a given ^^) See you next time,**

 **Jacqueline**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 **A/N: Thank you PhantomPhoenixboy and Romantica 21 for reviewing! :)**

 **Mad Library Scientist: Yes, I know, but if you count the long reactions (esp. in this chapter), then I guess I just can't stop writing them; they start short but end up being longer than I thought ;) Anyway, yes, that mental picture is just hilarious! XD It's a connection to my RotG story, FYI.**

* * *

 _ **Once outside, Hiccup pushes his wheeled bola launcher through a wall of clustered Vikings. He weaves through the ongoing mayhem, as fast as his legs can carry him.**_

 **VIKING #6 (O.S.): Hiccup, where are you going!**

 **VIKING #7: Come back here!**

 **HICCUP: I know. Be right back!**

 _ **In the town below, the Nadders have cornered the house-full of sheep. They close in, ready to spring upon them. Stoick suddenly appears, throwing nets over them. The surprised Nadders are caught. Stoick and his men rush in. A Nadder blasts a hole through its net. Stoick leaps onto it, clamping his thick arms around its head, forcing its jaws shut.**_

 **STOICK: Mind yourselves! The devils still have some juice in them.**

Hiccup frowned at that, but he could understand why his father called them devils. If only he could show him...

 _That's it!_ He thought. _Show him they're not dangerous, that we don't have to kill them!_ He looked over at Stoick. At the expression on his face, he added, _Later._

 _ **On the plain above, Hiccup reaches a cliff overlooking the smoking catapult and drops the handles to the ground. He cranks several levers, unfolding and then cocking its bowed arms. He drops a bola onto a chamber and then pivots the weapon toward the dark sky.**_

 _ **He listens, with his eye pressed to the scope, hand poised on the trigger. He hears the Night Fury approaching... and turns his aim to the defense tower. It closes in for the final strike, completely camouflaged in the night.**_

 **HICCUP: Come on. Give me something to shoot at, give me something to shoot at.**

Hiccup felt a wave of guilt and sadness at crippling his best friend. Toothless crooned, trying to tell him that he was forgiven already.

 _ **There is an explosion, and the tower topples. The blast of fire illuminates the dragon for a split second. Hiccup pulls the trigger. The flexed arms snap forward, springing the weapon off the ground. The bola disappears into the sky, followed by a whack and a screech.**_

Silence in the theater. Stoick thought, _I was wrong; he actually hit it._ "I'm sorry, son."

He replied, "Yeah, me too."

Stoick was baffled, to say the least. "What?"

Hiccup squirmed in his seat, mentally kicking himself. An awkward silence ensued. Jacqueline's voice was heard. "Stoick, don't ask. I promise you, you will regret what you say later if this goes further." Her voice was strained.

 **HICCUP: Oh I hit it! Yes, I hit it! Did anybody see that?**

 _ **Hiccup's victory is short-lived. A Monstrous Nightmare appears, slithering up over the lip of the cliff.**_

 **HICCUP: Except for you.**

The rest of the dragons looked at Hiccup with respect beginning to show in their eyes. There were prophecies of a Dragon Rider who would free them from their Queen. One of the qualities of this Dragon Rider was that he would talk to dragons. Was this boy the one?

 _ **Stoick, holding down the netted Nadders, hears a familiar holler and looks up to see Hiccup running through the plaza, screaming, with the Nightmare fast on his heels. Alarmed, Stoick abandons the Nadders and runs off.**_

 **STOICK: DO NOT let them escape!**

 _ **In the plaza, Vikings scatter as Hiccup dodges a near fatal blast. The Nightmare's fire sets buildings ablaze. Hiccup ducks behind the last standing brazier—the only shelter available. The Nightmare blasts it, spraying fire all around him. Hiccup peers around the smoldering post. No sign of the Nightmare. He turns back to find it leering at him, blocking his escape. It takes a deep breath. Hiccup is finished.**_

Everyone unconsciously held their breaths. Their chieftain heir was going to die.

 _ **Suddenly, Stoick leaps between them, tackling the Nightmare to the ground. They tumble and wrestle, resuming their earlier fight. The Nightmare tries to toast him, but only coughs up smoke.**_

 **STOICK: You're all out.**

 _ **He smashes the Nightmare repeatedly in the face, driving it away. It takes to the air and disappears. Winded, Stoick turns to Hiccup.**_

The Nightmare, who had been the one captured that night, got Hiccup's attention and gave him an apologetic look.

 **HICCUP (V.O.): Oh, and there's one more thing you need to know...**

 _ **The burnt brazier pole collapses, sending the massive iron basket crashing. It bounces down the hill, destroying as it goes and scattering the Vikings who were holding down the netted Nadders. The freed dragons escape... with several sheep in tow.**_

 **HICCUP: Sorry, dad.**

 _ **The escaped Nadders fly past with sheep in their clutches. The raid is over. The dragons have clearly won. The murmuring crowd eyes Stoick, awaiting his response.**_

 **HICCUP (sheepish): Okay, but I hit a Night Fury.**

 _ **Stoick grabs Hiccup by the back scruff of his collar and hauls him away, fuming with embarrassment.**_

 **HICCUP: It's not like the last few times, Dad. I mean I really actually hit it. You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off Raven Point. Let's get a search party out there, before it-**

 **STOICK: —Stop! Just...stop.**

 _ **He releases Hiccup. Everyone goes silent, staring expectantly.**_

 **STOICK: Every time you step outside, disaster follows. Can you not see that I have bigger problems? Winter's almost here and I have an entire village to feed!**

 _ **Hiccup looks around. All eyes are upon him.**_

 **HICCUP: Between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding, don't ya think?**

 _ **A few rotund Vikings stir self-consciously.**_

Selfsame Vikings repeated the action. Hiccup and Astrid laughed.

 **STOICK: This isn't a joke, Hiccup! Why can't you follow the simplest orders?**

 **HICCUP: I can't stop myself. I see a dragon and I have to just... kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad.**

Hiccup mentally screamed his disagreement with that statement.

 **STOICK: You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them.**

"That was the most accurate thing you've said about me in a long time." Stoick narrowed his eyes, but said nothing.

 _ **Sting. Hiccup looks around to see many nods of agreement.**_

 **STOICK: Get back to the house. (TO GOBBER) Make sure he gets there. I have his mess to clean up.**

At this point, Jacqueline appeared yet again, startling them. "Seriously, is it really his mess?"

Stoick glared. "He disobeys my orders, gets the brazier knocked down, frees those beasts, letting them get away with our sheep, almost gets killed, and I have to save him. Tell me that's not his mess." Hiccup and Astrid sat speechless.

Jacqueline gave him her own glare in return. "One, that was only a small part of what happened to the village. Two, none of the destruction would be happening if the dragons weren't raiding." She turned to the dragons. "No offense, of course. It's not like you have a choice." They nodded.

Stoick was confused. "They don't have a choice?"

She rolled her eyes. "It will be explained. Now sit down or I'll tie you to your seat."

She disappeared the same way as before, and everyone turned back around.

 _ **Stoick lumbers off in the opposite direction. Gobber leads Hiccup through the walk of shame. They pass the teen fire brigade as they snicker.**_

 **TUFFNUT: Quite the performance.**

 **SNOTLOUT: I've never seen anyone mess up that badly. That helped!**

 **HICCUP: Thank you, thank you. I was trying, so...**

"So what?" Snotlout asked.

"Well, I unfortunately ran out of words because of _somebody_ rubbing my failure in my face," Hiccup said, giving Snotlout and the twins a pointed look.

Snotlout said, "It's not like you haven't failed before, Useless." Hiccup ignored him while Astrid gave him a glare that said _I will kill you if you don't stop,_ and he shrunk in his seat. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were clueless as usual.

 _ **Hiccup avoids Astrid and heads up toward a large house, standing prominently on the hill above the others.**_

 **HICCUP: I really did hit one.**

 **GOBBER: Sure, Hiccup.**

 **HICCUP: He never listens.**

 **GOBBER: Well, it runs in the family.**

Stoick, Spitelout, and Snotlout bristle. Spitelout says, "Runs in the family?!"

Gobber tries to redeem himself. "Well it's true, isn't it?"

Astrid sighed. "Yet another example of Gobber's pep talking skills." Hiccup chuckled, then murmured only so the teens could hear, "or lack thereof."

They laughed and agreed, _agreed_ with him.

 **HICCUP: And when he does, it's always with this... disappointed scowl. Like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich.**

 _ **He mimics Stoick, gesturing wildly.**_

 **Excuse me, barmaid. I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered an extra large boy with beefy arms. Extra guts and glory on the side. This here. This is a talking fish bone.**

Stoick said, "I do not sound like that!"

 **GOBBER: You're thinking about this all wrong. It's not so much what you look like. It's what's inside that he can't stand.**

 **HICCUP: Thank you, for summing that up.**

 _ **They reach the doorway.**_

 **GOBBER: Look, the point is, stop trying so hard to be something you're not.**

 _ **Hiccup sighs.**_

 **HICCUP: I just want to be one of you guys.**

 _Not anymore. They're dragon killers. I couldn't be that when I know Toothless,_ Hiccup thought.

 _ **Gobber eyes him sympathetically. Hiccup turns and goes through the front door.**_

 _ **And then...straight out the back door. He scurries off into the woods, determined to find that dragon.**_

"Hiccup."

"Yeah, Dad?"

Stoick sighs. "Again, I'm sorry I didn't believe you." His pride kept him from advising the village to apologize as well, but he had other things on his mind. "Now all that's left to do is send out a search party when we get back." _Since you obviously didn't find it_ was on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't say it. It didn't need to be said. He missed seeing onscreen Hiccup leaving the house.

Hiccup decided to remain silent about what had happened next, instead allowing it to play out on its own.

—

 **A/N: Have a wonderful day, review! ;)**

 ***cowers* I know, I know, tRotG:TWR, but this chapter was so close to finishing, and I can't resist publishing a chapter once it's finished. Thanks for bearing with me. Just hope that I'm inspired to do that story next XP**

 **Jacqueline**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **A/N: I can't help but find it ironic that when comparing this and my RotG story, they have the same number of chapters, but this story has twice the views and less than half the reviews.**

 **Just a random observation.**

 **Also, I have permission to use Jafndaegur's name for the Red Death, Avara. Shout out to you, thanks!**

 **I decided to add dragon thoughts and conversation. Hope you enjoy!**

 _ **'Dragon thoughts'**_

 _ **"Dragons speaking"**_

 **Disclaimer: IDOHTTYD.**

* * *

 _ **In the Great Hall that day, a noisy din of protesting voices leads to Stoick, glowering in the firelight, and he is surrounded by his men.**_

 **STOICK: Either we finish them or they'll finish us! It's the only way we'll be rid of them! If we find the nest and destroy it, the dragons will leave. They'll find another home.**

Hiccup said, "They can't finish us."

Gobber completed his thought for him. "Like you said, _other_ Vikings, not me, have stubbornness issues." Most of the Vikings grumbled at that, but some less dim-witted chuckled at Gobber's denial of being stubborn.

 _ **He sinks his blade into a large nautical map, spread out on the table...the blade pierces the middle of an uncharted corner, painted with sea monsters and dragons.**_

 **STOICK (DECIDEDLY): One more search. Before the ice sets in.**

 **VIKING: Those ships never come back.**

"We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard," said the heir.

 **STOICK: We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard. Now who's with me?**

Gobber thought, _For once, the lad is like his father. A little disturbing, if you ask me though._

 _ **Stoick throws up his fist. No one follows. The crowd shifts in restless silence. Head scratches. Eyes averted.**_

 **VIKING (FEEBLE): Today's not good for me.**

 **VIKING (EQUALLY FEEBLE): I've gotta do my axe returns.**

Up in her room, Jacqueline chuckled. _"Axe returns"...what, like tax returns?_

 **STOICK: Alright. Those who stay will look after Hiccup.**

 _ **Hands jut into the air, volunteers galore. Enthusiastic murmurs of prep and packing fill the room.**_

 **PHLEGMA THE FIERCE: To the ships!**

 **SPITELOUT: I'm with you Stoick!**

 **STOICK: That's more like it.**

The room was dead silent. Stoick was guilty, and Gobber was trying to hide it. Hiccup's eyes widened, and Astrid's narrowed. Hiccup thought, _That's how he gets so many volunteers. I feel so loved right now._

 _ **The Vikings rush for the door, leaving Gobber and Stock alone. Gobber gulps back the contents of his tankard attachment and scrapes back the bench.**_

 **GOBBER: I'll pack my undies.**

Astrid wrinkled her nose. "Gobber, that really didn't need to be said."

 **STOICK: No, I need you to stay and train some new recruits.**

 **GOBBER: Oh, perfect. And while I'm busy, Hiccup can cover the stall. Molten steel, razor sharp blades, lots of time to himself...what could possibly go wrong?**

Snotlout shivered dramatically. "Nothing besides maybe killing himself and the rest of the village with his in-fail-tions."

Astrid shook her head. _He never learns._ She said, "Oh just shut up, Snotlout. Hiccup, don't listen to him."

Hiccup said, "I learned that a long time ago."

Snotlout was frustrated. "What did you say, Useless?"

He was ignored.

 _ **Stoick sinks onto the bench beside Gobber, his brow burdened.**_

 **STOICK: What am I going to do with him, Gobber?**

 **GOBBER: Put him in training with the others.**

 **STOICK: No, I'm serious.**

 **GOBBER: So am I.**

 _ **Stoick turns to him.**_

 **STOICK: He'd be killed before you let the first dragon out of its cage.**

"Oh, wow, thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad."

 **GOBBER: Oh, you don't know that.**

 **STOICK: I do know that, actually.**

 **GOBBER: No, you don't.**

 **STOICK: No, actually I do.**

 **GOBBER: No you don't!**

Gobber grinned. "Runs in the family." He got a glare from Stoick.

 **STOICK: Listen! You know what he's like. From the time he could crawl he's been...different. He doesn't listen.**

"Neither do you."

 **STOICK: Has the attention span of a sparrow. I take him fishing and he goes hunting for... for trolls.**

Toothless chortled. _**'If only he knew.'**_ Toothless had explored the world before he had met and been taken over by Avara, and he had met some trolls. Only they were far away, and he didn't know if Hiccup would want to meet them, considering their less-than-cordial personalities.

 **GOBBER: Trolls exist! They steal your socks. (DARKLY) But only the left ones. What's with that?**

Toothless let out a dragon laugh, and the other dragons looked at him. _**"Humans and their tales about faraway creatures...I actually did meet some trolls once. Let's just say that they were more accommodating with their words than their weapons. I wasn't well received."**_ The dragons nodded, understanding. Hiccup, looking over at them, thought, _I wish I could understand them. They look like they're having a conversation; they probably_ are _._

 **STOICK: When I was a boy...**

 **GOBBER: Oh here we go.**

 **STOICK: My father told me to bang my head against a rock and I did it. I thought it was crazy, but I didn't question him. And you know what happened?**

Tuffnut said, "You got Loki'd!"

 **GOBBER: You got a headache.**

 **STOICK: That rock split in two.**

"Oh, come on, that's it? He didn't get Loki'd?"

Stoick chuckled. "No Ruffnut, Tuffnut, I did not." The twins were disappointed. Stoick then said, "But one time, I did."

They immediately got interested. Even Hiccup, who said, "Oh, you have to tell us now, Dad." The teens chimed in, "Yeah!"

Stoick said, "Perhaps another time. We would not want to bore Jacqueline."

Hiccup thought, _Which means, "Don't make me embarrass myself by telling you how I got tricked"._ Tuffnut was about to object, but Hiccup shot them a conspiratorial look as he said, "Yeah guys, we wouldn't. Do we?" He turned to Stoick and his expression told Stoick that he wasn't going to drop it; not permanently, anyway.

 **STOICK: It taught me what a Viking could do, Gobber. He could crush mountains, level forests, tame seas! Even as a boy, I knew what I was, what I had to become. Hiccup is not that boy.**

 **GOBBER: You can't stop him, Stoick. You can only prepare him. Look, I know it seems hopeless. But the truth is you won't always be around to protect him. He's going to get out there again. He's probably out there now.**

 _ **Gobber's words hit their mark.**_

Tuffnut said, "You didn't even realize how right you were!" Ruffnut said, "That's creepy, awesome!"

 _ **In the woods, Hiccup has a notebook open to a drawn map of the island, covered in X's. Hiccup closes his eyes, then opens them, looking into a gorge, but he sees nothing. He adds another 'X' to the page, then scraps the whole page in frustration. He snaps the book closed and shoves it in his vest.**_

 **HICCUP: Uggh, the gods hate me. Some people lose their knife or their mug. No, not me. I manage to lose an entire dragon.**

 _ **Hiccup smacks a low-hanging branch. It snaps back at him, hitting him square in the face. He looks up to see a snapped tree trunk.**_

Hiccup said, "That tree has some problems. What did I ever do to it?"

Fishlegs said, "Uhh, you smacked it?"

Hiccup groaned. "I forgot about that." Astrid smiled, and had to grab her braid to cover it.

 _ **His eyes follow it to a long path of scorched dirt. He follows it to a downed, black dragon, its body and tail tangled in a bola; it looks dead. Hiccup comes towards it, grinning.**_

Hiccup broke into a grin, before he remembered why he was there and how Toothless got there in the first place. He lowered his head in guilt. Astrid noticed. She murmured, "Hey, just remember what we talked about earlier. You can't change this."

 **HICCUP (IN SHOCK): Oh wow. I did it. I did it. This fixes everything. Yes!**

 _ **He strikes a victory pose, planting his foot on the fallen Night Fury.**_

 **HICCUP: I have brought down this mighty beast!**

 _ **It suddenly shifts.**_

 **HICCUP: Whoa!**

 _ **Hiccup springs back, terrified. He brings out his dagger and creeps along the length of the weak, wounded dragon. As he reaches the head, Hiccup finds the Night Fury staring at him. Hiccup tries to look away, but he's drawn back to its unnerving, unflinching stare. With the dragon safely tangled in the ropes, Hiccup puffs himself up with false bravado.**_

 **HICCUP: I'm going to kill you, Dragon. I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I'm a Viking.**

Hiccup whispered, "No, I'm not."

 **HICCUP: I am a VIKING!**

 _ **Hiccup raises the dagger, determined to prove his Viking-ness.**_

* * *

"Alright, movie break!" Jacqueline said, appearing again. She looked at them and had to stifle a smile. _I so have to do that some more, the looks on their faces are priceless._

Regaining her composure, she said, "There are drinks and snacks right over there; don't worry, I didn't poison them." This time she did crack a smile. The Berkians just sat and looked at her.

Astrid got up. "Well, what are we waiting for? Come on, guys!" That started everyone moving. They crowded toward the long tables, stretching their muscles and talking and shoving food in their faces, all at the same time. Hiccup hung back to talk to Jacqueline, who was carefully walking around. _I've got to remember not to show them my powers until the right time._ She jerked involuntarily when Hiccup said, "Jacqueline?"

He stammered, "I-I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you-"

She interjected. "No, no, you're fine, I was just thinking."

He said, "Yeah, okay. Well, I was going to say that you don't have to stand up for me like you've been doing; its not necessary. I've been dealing with it for quite a few years."

She said, "Which is exactly why you shouldn't have to. Nobody should ever have to go through what you have. Now, you can go spend some time with Toothless; just go through there," and she pointed to a recently-appeared door in the wall. Another door, Toothless-sized, was just closing as the selfsame dragon went through it. Hiccup smiled at her and left.

After Hiccup had gone, Astrid came to Jacqueline. "Where's Hiccup?"

"Oh, he went to go spend some time with Toothless. Sorry you couldn't join, but I thought he needed some time alone." Astrid agreed reluctantly. Then she brightened.

"So you said this was the story of how the War ends. If we're at peace with the dragons, and Hiccup has a dragon..." She paused, mildly uncertain.

"I probably can't answer it yet, whatever it is, but it's fine to ask anything," Jacqueline said. This seemed to give her a boost. She said, "Do I get a dragon too?"

Jacqueline smiled. "Now that one I can answer. Yes, you do. Would you like to meet your dragon?"

Astrid's face lit up. "Really? Of course!"

Jacqueline answered, "Someone's excited. Well, considering Stoick has yet to see Hiccup bond with Toothless, I don't think that it would be wise to suddenly have you, the Shield Maiden, dragon killer no less, being friends with a dragon. It would raise way too many questions; that's also part of why Hiccup and Toothless are out in the garden together instead of in here."

Astrid nodded. "I understand. Will it be soon, though?"

Jacqueline said, "We should start the movie up in a few minutes; after that it won't be too long. It was nice talking to you, Astrid, now I have to go check on the boys; can't have them be late." She winked, then disappeared the same way as she had before.

* * *

 **A/N: Is Hiccup a little OoC? I'm trying to keep him IC, please tell me if you think otherwise. Warning you though, my take on Hiccup is** **not** **going to be dark. It's just that I've read so many of "watching the movie" fics where Hiccup is bitter and hard and I decided to do a more lighthearted fic of it. Thanks!**

 **Reviews are a writer's lifeline! Thank you reviewers for supporting my defense from** **WB** **O_O**


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